Yesterday I was meeting the Forestry Commission out on the Moss. John and John work on Coalburn Moss in Lanarkshire (amongst and whole host of other sites) and have plans to start restoration work there to make their moss wetter. This means damming ditches so they had come along to Flanders Moss to see the damming work we have done there. It wasn't the best day to show them as it was beautifully sunny but very cold, it had been -8 C at home, and we really wanted it to b wet and wobbly to get a feel for the bog hydrology (water works). But we headed out to look at big and small dams, dams made of peat and recycled plastic and talk flow rates and fluid dynamics. Gradually the sun had an effect and burned off the hoar frost, bringing the sphagnum carpet back to life as its rays touched. Now the ditch that we had to cross to look at the last dam wasn't big and the ice was thick so I crossed fine and the first John crossed OK as well. I don't know if John no.2 was maybe a little heavier or carrying too much gear but the next minute he was through the ice and in the freezing ditch up to the top of his legs. He took it very well all things considered and we headed quickly back to the car park to prevent frost bite setting in. I hope it doesn't put him off, if it did that could have a drastic affect on the recovery of Coalburn Moss.
Yesterday I was meeting the Forestry Commission out on the Moss. John and John work on Coalburn Moss in Lanarkshire (amongst and whole host of other sites) and have plans to start restoration work there to make their moss wetter. This means damming ditches so they had come along to Flanders Moss to see the damming work we have done there. It wasn't the best day to show them as it was beautifully sunny but very cold, it had been -8 C at home, and we really wanted it to b wet and wobbly to get a feel for the bog hydrology (water works). But we headed out to look at big and small dams, dams made of peat and recycled plastic and talk flow rates and fluid dynamics. Gradually the sun had an effect and burned off the hoar frost, bringing the sphagnum carpet back to life as its rays touched. Now the ditch that we had to cross to look at the last dam wasn't big and the ice was thick so I crossed fine and the first John crossed OK as well. I don't know if John no.2 was maybe a little heavier or carrying too much gear but the next minute he was through the ice and in the freezing ditch up to the top of his legs. He took it very well all things considered and we headed quickly back to the car park to prevent frost bite setting in. I hope it doesn't put him off, if it did that could have a drastic affect on the recovery of Coalburn Moss.
